Victorian education boost

Education was one area that suffered massive cuts, both in teacher 
numbers and teaching conditions, under the Kennett Government. Now, at 
last, schools and teachers look set to see some improvements.

While not winning all that they would have wished, the Australian Education 
Union has gained agreement with the new Labor Government on long overdue 
pay rises for teachers, along with a number of important improvements in 
teaching conditions and trade union rights.

The Joint Primary and Secondary Sector Council of the Australian Education 
Union has recommended to its members endorsement of a "Heads of Agreement" 
reached in negotiations with the Bracks Government. Ratification meetings 
are presently being held around Victoria.

The agreement, if endorsed by the membership, would form the basis of a new 
Certified Agreement.

"Our key objective was to get salary increases commensurate with those 
gained by NSW teachers", said Victorian AEU Branch President Mary Bluett.

The agreement contains three annual pay rises of three per cent, consistent 
with the state Labor Government's wages policy of three per cent across the 
public sector.

In addition, many teachers stand to gain increases above the three per cent 
through changes to the career structure and classification system.

A new Experienced Teacher With Responsibilities Classification (ETWRC) will 
be created.

All teachers who have been on sub-division 12, for 12 months or longer, 
will be eligible for ETWRC positions. More than 60 per cent of teachers are 
on subdivision 12.

An ETWRC will be paid at a higher rate giving teachers presently on 
Divisions 10, 11 or 12 a total increase in salary of between 22 per cent 
and 17.8 per cent by April 2003. This would bring them just out in front of 
NSW teachers.

Performance payments for principals and leading teachers will be abolished 
and the money from these will be absorbed into a new incremental scale — a 
positive step.

"The agreement, if accepted, would see Victorian teachers become the 
highest paid teachers in Australia with a career structure unequaled in any 
State or Territory", said Ms Bluett.

Ongoing employment

The government has agreed that "ongoing employment", not individual 
contracts, will be the main mode of employment for teachers and non-
teaching staff, the School Services Officers (SSOs).

The new Certified Agreement will include existing Teacher and SSO Staffing 
Agreements, which have already resulted in over 2000 teachers and SSOs 
being offered ongoing employment.

That number of ongoing positions should be advertised in the next four 
months.

The Government already has budget commitments to increase staff by 933: 450 
primary teachers, up to 213 staff for students with special learning needs, 
250 welfare co-ordinators, and 20 school nurses for secondary schools.

Its 2001 commitments include 300 secondary staff, 350 primary teachers to 
address class sizes in early years, and 80 school nurses for secondary 
schools.

Class sizes

For the first time in any certified agreement, primary class sizes will be 
subject to regulation, with an average of 21 students in Prep to year 2 by 
2003.

Secondary classes will be organised on the basis of groups of up to 25 
students.

There will be consultative processes on the implementation of the 
agreement, and most importantly, these processes must allow for the direct 
input of the AEU sub-branch at the school. 

Workloads are also specified: not more than 22.5 hours face to face 
teaching per week (20.25 hours for a first year teacher) in primary 
schools; and not more than 20 hours in secondary schools.

Primary and Secondary Sector AEU Councillors will be given two days per 
term time release to attend union council meetings.